Census worker killed by dogs

NASHVILLE, Ind. -- A pack of dogs attacked and killed a 71-year-old Census Bureau worker who apparently walked past warning signs in an attempt to count the occupants of an isolated rural home.

An autopsy showed that Dorothy Stewart died from injuries sustained during the attack, Brown County prosecutor Jim Oliver said Monday.

"This really is terrible," Oliver said. "That as a way to die is just unthinkable."

When sheriff's deputies arrived at the home Saturday afternoon, they found Stewart's body about 3 feet from the front door of the one-story log cabin, surrounded by dogs.

Deputies counted more than 20 dogs.

The home is about a mile from Stewart's home along a winding, gravel road just within the boundaries of the state forest. The driveway is posted with "Beware of Dog" and "No Trespassing" signs.

"Some were on chains, some were loose and some were in the house," Brown County Sheriff Dan Huesman said. "We were able to capture at least 12 dogs. We captured as many as we could."

One dog was shot because it attacked an officer, Huesman said.

Investigators weren't sure how many of the dogs belonged to the homeowner, Wayne Newton, and how many were strays.

"They have denied that the dogs were theirs," Oliver said. "We have reason to disbelieve that. Mostly because the complaints indicate there were always many more dogs there than the few that they claim to have."

Oliver said the investigation into Stewart's death will continue and he hasn't ruled out criminal charges. He said Newton was fined in 1994 for violating the leash law and numerous other complaints had been filed regarding dogs running loose around the house.

The state of Indiana and Brown County have leash laws that require animals to be under the control of their owner.

A phone call to the only Wayne Newton listed wasn't returned, and Oliver wasn't sure if Newton had retained legal counsel.

Stewart was an active figure in the community and lived alone, said John Knight, the manger of a nearby gas station and grocery store. He said she could often be found walking along the side of the road picking up trash.

"Mrs. Stewart, I think she did a great deal for the community," Knight said. "Someone that takes the time to go out and pick up trash and stuff, that's a pretty good person."

Across the country this year, 440,000 Census Bureau workers have been following up on the 42 million households that didn't return a questionnaire. Census employees are required to call on the houses to collect data, though during training they are told not to put themselves in danger.

"We put a premium on the safety of employees and respondents," said Census spokesman Steve Jost. "This and any other death of a census employee is a real blow to morale. The census family gathers together in this tragic instant."

Officials at the Census Bureau's national office in Suitland, Md., said six other fatalities of on-duty census workers have occurred since January, when operations for this Census began. Five died in traffic accidents and the other died of a stroke.

Numerous injuries have been reported, including one two weeks ago in which two census workers were seriously injured in a crash near Charlottesville, Va. There also have been several cases of workers being shot at or chased away by homeowners.